Japanese soy sauce maker Kikkoman is to take a 15.4% stake in Japan’s Kibun Food Chemifa as part of a strategic tie-up between the two companies.


Kikkoman, the world’s largest soy sauce maker, will pay around ¥6bn (US$54.7m) for the stake, plus a further ¥500m in June for a 15% stake in Kibun Fresh System, reported Dow Jones International News.


The link-up between the two companies will allow Kibun products to be sold using Kikkoman’s extensive sales network overseas, while Kikkoman’s chilled food products will be sold through Kibun’s Japanese sales network.